Pneumatic device for musical instruments.



M. NEWGOMER. PNEUMATIC DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED 51111.31, 1911. 1,130,101. Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-11311)? l.

M. NEW GOMER.

PNEUMATIC DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAH.31, 1911.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

3-SHEETSSHEET 2 THE NORRIS PETERS CQ. PHUTC-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. U.

M. NEWGOMER. PNEUMATIC DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 81, 1911.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

Elmo/who HE NORRIS PETERS 60., FHOTO-LITHO. WASHINGTON, D. C,

UNlTED STATE PATENT @FFlCE.

MARTIN IIEWCOMER, OF NEN YORK, N. '11, ASSIGNOl-"t TO VOL-STONE COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH, NEVJ JERSEY, A COBPOBJATICN 03 NEW JERSEY.

. PNEUMATIC DEVICE F03 MUSICAL INSTBUMENTfi.

Application. filed January 31,

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN Nnwconrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan of the city of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Pneumatic Devices for Musical instruments, &c., of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

It is well known, especially to those who are expert in the manufacture and in the use of pneumatic piano players and the like, that the sluggishness of the return movement of the movable member of a pneumatic device 1' bellows, such as a striking pneumatic or a sustaining pedal pneumatic or any other pneumatic or bellows by which some part of the instrument is actuated, is a serious obstacle to the thoroughly artistic rendition of a musical composition. Various means hat been devised hitherto for the purpose of overcoming this difficulty but thus far they have failed to overcome the diliiculty in a satisfactory manner but have introduced or magnified other difliculties.

It is the object of this invention to provide means whereby the movable member of such apneumatic device or bellows shall be permitted to respond instantly and freely to the spring or other force by which the movement thereof is effected as soon as the pressure conditions within such device or bellows are changed in character, as by the breaking of the vacuum. In accordance with the invention such a pneumatic device or bellows is provided with an auxiliary port through which the interior of the device or bellows may be placed in direc communication with the atmosphere and with a valve to control such port which closes the port while the device or bellows is subject to the actuating pressure and is moved by mechanical means to open the port, so as to establish free communication between the interior and the atmosphere as soon as the return movement of the movable member commences, so that the continuation of such return movement is free and unimpeded.

The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which it is illustrated and in which- Figure 1 is a View partly in elevation and Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

1911. Seria1No.605,836.

p rtly in section illustrating the application or the invention to the pneumatic device or bellows which controls the hammer rest rail. Fig. 2 18 a view of the pneumatic device or bellows as seen from the left-hand in Fig. 1, I

the bellows being collapsed. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the bellows expanded. Fig. i is a top view of the bellows. Fig. 5 is a view generally similar to Fig. 3 but showing a different embodiment of the invention. Fig. 6 is a top view of the bellows shown in Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 are front, end views showing still another embodiment of the invention, with the bellows collapsed in Fig. '7 and expanded in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 is a top view of the bellows shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Pg. 1 but showing also the connection of e bellows to the wind chest and the conrolling devices.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention. shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10 in which the invention is illustrated as applied to the pneumatic device or bellows a which, through the rod Z), controls the positi on of the movable rest rail 0 for determining the throw of the hammers (Z, it will be seen that the pneumatic device or bellows a is of ordinary construction, comprising a relatively fixed member a and a relatively movable member 7". A spring 9 is applied to the bellows for effecting expansion of the bellows or the return movement of the movable member 7 and a connection it to the wind chest or power bellows is provided in the usual manner. As shown in 10 the port it may be connected to a wind chest r or to the atmosphere through a double valve 8 which is actuated by a diaphragm t in the wind chest, while the chamber 25 below the diaphra m is connected by a tube t with a port 5 controlled by a linger valve o. lVhen the valve 1 is open, as shown, atmospheric pressure is admitted to the underside of the diaphragm 25 and the double valve 8 is then moved to the position shown so that the interior of the bellows (A is then connected with the atmosphere and the bellows is expanded by the spring lir'lore or less resistance is offered to the filling of the bellows a, through the connections to the port it and expanding of the bellows is therefore somewhat sluggish, so that the part actuated by the bellows does not respond as quickly as is desirable. Itwill be understood, of course, that when the finger valve o is closed and the pressures above and below the diaphragm t are equalized through the usual bleed port, the double valve 8 moves so as to out ch direct communication with the atmosphere and to establish communication between the interior of the bellows a and the wind chest 7' for the purpose of collapsing the bellows in the usual way. During the collapsing of the bellows air moves from the bellows outwardly through the port it, but during the expanding of the bellows air moves inwardly through the port it into the bellows. In addition to the usual port or connection it, through which the'air is exhausted from the bellows, and through which air also enters the bellows when the valve 8 is open to the atmosphere, being then drawn in by the expanding movement of the bellows under the influence of the spring 6/, there is provided an auxiliary port 2', indicated by clotted lines in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:, through which direct communication may be established between the interior of the bellows and the atmosphere, so that when this port is open the movable member of the bellows will respond instantly and freely to the spring 9 or other actuating force, and so that when the, port is closed the bellows will be subject to the action of the power bellows as determined by the operation of any intermediatevalves which may be employed. During the expanding movement of the bellows, as already pointed out, more or less air enters the bellows through the port it and direct communication'is then established with the atmosphere through the port 2' so that the port 2' is then auxiliary to the port it. The port 2' is controlled by a valve 79, which is held to its seat by atmospheric pressure so long as the vacuum is maintained within the bellows and is moved from its seat to open the port by mechanical means as soon as the vacuum is broken and the movable member 7 begins itsmovement, so that the atmospheric air is immediately given free access to the interior of the bellows and the continued movement of the movable member is free and unimpeded. This movementof the valve from its seat is effected by mechanical means in the construction shown in thefigures referred to through the relative movement of the two members of the bellows. Thus, in the construction shown, the valve is carried bv a lever is which is pivoted at 70 on that member of the bellows in which the port i is formed and to the other members of the bellows is secured an arm Z against which the end 70 of the lever 70' has a frictional bearing. In the construction shown an adjustable stop we is supported by an. extension Z of the arm Z so that asthe movable member of the bellowsapproaches the limit of its return movement the valve is is pressed toward the port a to close the same and thereby place the bellows in condition immediately for'further action under the influence of the vacuum. The arm Z may be provided with a screw Z by which the arm Z may be adjusted as required. It will now be understood that when the bellows has been fully collapsed, with the valve 70 seated on the port 2', as shown in Fig. 2, and air is then admitted to the bellows through the port lathe expanding movement of the bellows, under the influence of the spring 9, begins, ettecting relative movement of one member of the bellows with respect to the other. The end 70 of the lever it has a frictional bearing against the arm Z, so that as soon as such relative movement begins, the valve is is moved from the port 2', thereby establishing direct communication between the interior of the bellows and the atmosphere and permitting the bellows to expand quickly. As'the movable member 7 approaches the limit of its movement the lever is strikes the adjustable stop m and the valve 7." is thereby held so that the movable member f moves against it and efiects the closing of the port 2'. The lever 76 and the arm Z, being in frictional contact, therefore constitute one form of mechanical means by which the auxiliary port 5 is opened as soon as the vacuum in the bellows is broken by the admission of air through the port It.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the bellows a is constructed substantially as already described, the movable member f having formed therein an auxiliary port 71 which is controlled by a valve is carried by a lever is pivoted at k The short arm 71:

t the lever is instead of being actuated by the relative movement of the two members of the bellows is acted upon by an adjustable spring 12, which may be connected to I that member of the bellows upon which the lever is is mounted, This spring 12 is so adj u'sted that its force is sufiicient to move the valve is from its seat as soonas the vacuum within the bellows is broken but is. insufficient to move the valve from its seat against atmospheric pressure. An adjustable stop m supported, for example, by an arm Z, as before, is provided to close the valve k as the movable member of the bellows approaches the limit of its expanding or re-' turn movement.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 provision is made not only forthe immediate opening of the valve when the vacuum within the bellows is broken and the movable member begins its movement but for the closing or partial closing of the valve during the latter portion oilthe expanding movement of theibellows, so that such expanding movement may then be re'tardedas is sometimes. desirable.

In this construction the valve 70 is carried by a lever is, the short arm k of which cooperates with an arm Z as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4. In this case, however, there is also provided another arm 0 for cooperation with the other end or long arm of the lever is, such arm 0 having an offset 0 so that the arm shall not cooperate with the lever is until the bellows has expanded to a predetermined point. At such point, the inset portion of the arm 0 begins to cooperate with the lever and causes it to close. In this construction, the two arms Z and 0 are spring arms and are adjustably connected by a rod p to which may be connected any suitable controlling devices, as indicated by the bell crank lever 51, so that the position of the arms Z and 0 may be controlled by the performer to determine their action.

Various other embodiments of the inven tion will suggest themselves in View of the foregoing and it is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise constructions shown and described herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a bellows, pro-.

vided with a port for connection to the wind chest or the atmosphere and with an auxiliary port through which direct com munication may be established between the interior of the bellows and the atmosphere, of a valve to control said auxiliary port, said valve being held normally to its seat by air pressure, a lever supporting said valve and mounted on that member of the bellows in which the auxiliary port is formed, a friction arm secured to the other member of the bellows and cooperating with one arm of said lever, and a second friction arm also mounted on said other member of the bellows to co'tiperate with the other arm of said lever and having an olfset.

2. The combination with a bellows, provided with a port for connection to the wind chest or the atmosphere and with an auxiliary port through which direct communication may be established between the interior of the bellows and the atmosphere, of a valve to control said auxiliary port, said valve being held normally to its seat by air pressure, a lever supporting said valve and mounted on that member of the bellows in which the auxiliary port is formed, a friction arm secured to the other member of the bellows and cooperating with one arm of said lever, a second friction arm mounted on said other member of the bellows to cooperate with the other arm of said lever and having an offset intermediate its ends whereby it cooperates with said other arm during a portion only of the relative movement of the lever, and means to control the positions of said friction arms.

This specification signed and witnessed this 25th day of January A. D., 1911.

MARTIN NElVCOMER.

Signed in the presence of- AMBROSE L. OSHEA, ELLA J. KRUGER.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I'atents,

Washington, D. C. 

